Loco test problem

[rooster]

Hi all,  I have tried running a new loco on a length of track but the the controller keeps tripping out - what am I doing wrong. I have seen the loco working in the shop i bought it from recently.

Alan

[Malc]

Hi,
Does the controller trip out without the loco on the track?

[rooster]

Hi Malc, Yes it does. I have checked the motor off track and it works fine.

Alan

[Malc]

Hi Alan,

and we are talking DC here, not DCC. If it were me, I'd connect an ammeter in series with one of the power feeds and see what sort of current you are drawing. By a length of track, are we talking about a straight section, a loop or something more complicated that has points etc?

Malc

[swisstony]

Is it Dapol per chance?

My money is on one of the wheel sets having the centre spline too long and shorting the wheel out, test with a multimeter the resistance of each wheel side

[Jack]

I can't see it being loco related as Alan reports that the track has shorts without the loco on the track (#3).

Might be worth giving you track a good vac clean, unseen debris could be a problem and also double check that you haven't accidentally crossed wired one of your track power feeds.

[swisstony]

Sorry my bad I misread the reply does sound like a track shorting issues definitely!

[rooster]

Thanks for the reply,s. I will borrow the ammeter from my 1954 Matchless (motorcycle) and check tomorrow.

Alan

[painbrook]

Are any of you boffins able to explain in basic lingo what you can do with a multimeter and how you do it. More importantly what the readings mean. Remember (speaking for myself) you are dealing with a simpleton. Cheers john.

[rooster]

Problem solved. I borrowed my neighbours 00 controller and everything works. Can anyone reccomend a decent N controller. (I used an old Hornby circa 1980,s). Thanks for all your comments.

Alan

[scotsoft]

The basic Bachmann controllers work OK and can often be picked up on eBay quite cheap but they can go for stupid prices as well.

Here are a few I found on eBay that are due over the next few days.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bachmann-OO-and-N-gauge-locomotive-controller-and-transformer-/271145291837?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item3f2184d03d

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bachmann-Set-transformer-track-controller-Wiring-for-OO-00-N-gauge-12-V-/281056562879?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item417046cebf

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bachmann-OO-or-N-Gauge-Model-Railway-Power-Controller-New-From-Set-/111007465161?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item19d88f7ec9

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/N-GAUGE-GRAHAM-FARISH-BACHMANN-TRANSFORMER-CONTROLLER-/190784716239?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item2c6ba7bdcf

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BACHMANN-SINGLE-TRACK-CONTROLLER-TRANSFORMER-/200886258219?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item2ec5c10a2b


Place an advert in the classifieds, there just might be someone who has one lying about doing nothing 

cheers John.

[Jack]

Assuming you use DC, while you are looking for Bachmann Controllers on eBay why not look for s/h Gaugemaster D controller which is a double track controller with Aux Outputs. Gaugemaster controllers are solid bits of kit.

For example:-
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gaugemaster-Twin-track-controller-Model-D-/111005874082?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item19d87737a2

[guest311]

or look at the Morley controllers.

come as twin or four track, with handheld controls as well, and include CDU.

http://www.morleycontrollers.com/

alan

[Sprintex]

Assuming you use DC, while you are looking for Bachmann Controllers on eBay why not look for s/h Gaugemaster D controller which is a double track controller with Aux Outputs.

I'd recommend those too 

I bought one second-hand from Ebay for testing new locos before DCC-ing and it's been great, now it's also being used to power point motors, signals and lights on the layout, great bit of kit


Paul

[swisstony]

I have a Bachmann one with no power supply you can have for free if it would be any use?